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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28136574">Many Times, Many Ways</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/morningssofgold/pseuds/morningssofgold'>morningssofgold</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Prodigal Son (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Light Angst, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:08:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,057</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28136574</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/morningssofgold/pseuds/morningssofgold</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Dani sighed, letting her husband pull her into his arms and into bed. She buried her face in his neck inhaling the slight amaretto scent of the Dr. Bronner’s they kept in the shower. “It’s just…this is my favorite time of year because it’s the one day where it’s just us together and as happy as that is, I always think of that one Christmas I had no idea if I’d ever see you again.”</i>
</p><p>A very Brightwell Christmas.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Malcolm Bright / Dani Powell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Many Times, Many Ways</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>7 Days before Christmas</b>
</p><p>“Z, victims don’t giggle.”</p><p>“Sorry, Grandpa…” Zahra giggled.</p><p>Jessica stopped short before the sight in front of her upon walking into Gil’s den at his home in Brooklyn. </p><p>He’d told her he was spending one of his rare free Saturdays looking after their grandchildren while Malcolm and Danika went Christmas shopping likely “buying out FAO Schwartz” as Gil put it. Jessica thought she’d drop by to help out and spend time with her cherubs.</p><p>That said, she didn’t expect to see her grandchildren on their backs while Gil turned them into <i>chalk drawings.</i> </p><p>“Gil, what is the meaning of this?!” Jessica demanded as Gil turned to her clearly amused by her reaction.</p><p>“Relax, Jess, they love this,” Gil grinned, gesturing with the chalk as if there was nothing fundamentally disturbing about turning their beloved grandchildren into dead people–though the liveliest, giggliest dead people imaginable.</p><p>“<i>Do they</i>, Gil? Do they even know what this means? They are children!” Jessica huffed as she put her hands on her hips.</p><p>“Who are their parents again?” Gil chuckled as she watched Zahra, Asa and Maliha “rise from the dead” likely wondering why their grandfather had stopped their game. “They know.”</p><p>“I expect this from my son who enjoys such morbidity but not you Gil.” Jessica dug her phone out of her oversized quilted Chanel bag to dial said son to voice her displeasure as Gil just shrugged. </p><p><i>“Yes, Mother?”</i> Malcolm replied on the second ring as she could hear cheerful Christmas music in the background of whatever store he and his wife were in.</p><p>“Did you know about this…<i>chalk game</i>…your children like to play with Gil?”</p><p><i>“This what?”</i> Jessica rolled her eyes as it was clear Malcolm didn’t know and from the amusement in his voice, he didn’t appear overly concerned.</p><p>“This awful game where he draws outlines of them. You know as if they were…” her voice dropped into a whisper. “Murdered.”</p><p>Malcolm snorted and Jessica gritted her teeth at the sound, <i>“Really? Send me a picture.”</i></p><p>“I will not, Malcolm Douglas! You’d probably put it on the refrigerator.” </p><p>Jessica looked up to see Gil snapping pictures with his iPhone of the three of them, happy laughter filling the den as no one found this as outrageous as she did, “Done.”</p><p><i>“Well, at least they’re behaving themselves,”</i> Malcolm said through his own laughter at the picture Gil just sent to his phone. Before Jessica could protest further, she heard Danika in the background asking Malcolm's opinion on something. <i>“Look, Mother, I have to go. I’ll see you in a few hours.”</i></p><p>“You want Grampa to do you too, Lovey?” Asa, their three year old grandson asked just as her son clicked off unceremoniously. His big greige eyes wide and earnest, wanting everyone to be included as was his way.</p><p>In his little gray cable knit sweater and dark jeans with his wavy dark golden brown hair–the exactly same color as Malcolm’s when touched by sunlight–neatly parted to the side. Save for his olive complexion, Asa looked for all the world just like his father–her son–and Jessica positively melted each time she saw him.</p><p>“No, my little love. Come give Lovey a kiss,” Jessica softened. Asa scrambled up and did as he was told and Jessica squatted down in her Manolo Blahnik heels wrapping her grandson up tightly, kissing the top of his head. “Girls, you too.”</p><p>Zahra–her oldest grandchild–now five years old hopped up as did her little sister, one year old Maliha who waddled over to her, wrapping her tiny arms around her grandmother’s neck. Both of them beyond adorable in their dark green cashmere sweater dresses and Dr. Marten boots. Zahra’s multitude of thick chestnut curls fastened by a matching green bow and Maliha’s pin straight hair of the same color in little pig tails also with matching bows. Her little ladies couldn’t be any cuter in her opinion. Jessica wrapped her arms around all three of them at once. </p><p>She hadn’t been the mother she should’ve been but she was more than happy for her second act as doting grandmother. </p><p>“I stopped by Kemi’s and brought Christmas cookies,” Jessica sang, seeing pale blue, greige and dark brown eyes light up at the sound of treats, especially from Kemi’s Dessert Bar one of Lovey’s favorite bakeries. “They’re in the kitchen. Why don’t the three of you go have some while I talk to your grandfather?”</p><p>The three of them didn’t have to be told twice as they took off in the direction of Gil’s spacious kitchen. The pitter-patter of six little feet in hot pursuit of snacks.</p><p>“This is the last time they will play murder games,” Jessica turned to her partner with her hands on her hips once more, staring him down.</p><p>Gil smiled while he erased his handiwork, before standing, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and kissing the side of her head as they walked toward the kitchen to supervise the grandchildren and their sugar intake, “It’s Christmas, Jess. Try to be merry.”</p><p>–––––––––––––––––</p><p>“Hey…” </p><p>Malcolm looked up from a table at Upland in Park Avenue South, smiling as his “Upper East Side mom” joined him after they’d split up. He claimed their table for a rare lunch date while Dani made a last minute stop into a boutique across the street for the girls. </p><p>“Hey, did you get what you wanted?” He asked as Dani slid in across from him, shrugging out of her camel coat and absently rolling up the sleeves of her black cashmere turtleneck. The sunlight from the window glinting off the rose gold Rolex he’d gotten her for their anniversary this past January. </p><p>“Yeah…I know they’re too young to care about clothes, but I saw these on the mannequins in the window and I had to.” Malcolm smiled wider at the excitement dancing in his wife’s dark eyes before she reached over and showed him two gauzy white eyelet dresses that she’d pulled out of a shopping bag.</p><p>“They’re very cute,” Malcolm nodded his thanks as the waitress placed a Margherita pizza in front of them. </p><p>“I feel like we’ve gone overboard on them this Christmas.” Dani said over the rim of her mug of hot apple cider. She took her tortoiseshell Ray-Bans off the top of her head, loose curls from her messy top knot falling in her face while she placed her sunglasses on the table.</p><p>“We always do,” Malcolm replied with a grin. They’d made stops at the Lego Store, the Disney Store, and FAO Schwartz with several more stops to make before they headed back to Tarrytown to stash the gifts that already filled the trunk of the Range Rover before going back into the city to rescue Grandpa and Lovey from the cherubs and their tireless energy. </p><p>Dani smiled softly, looking down a bit. Knowing his wife as well as he did, Malcolm knew she was likely thinking about the generous donation she’d made in their children’s names to a charity that would help families from her old neighborhood of Highbridge give their children as wonderful a Christmas as possible. </p><p>Malcolm wasn’t even sure Dani knew <i>he</i> knew about those donations she’d been making for the last few years but he did and it just reinforced why every morning he thanked whomever was up above listening for the incredible woman he undeservedly got to keep. His wife’s kindness and generosity made her unlike anyone he’d never known. </p><p>–––––––––––––––––––</p><p>“You know…I remember a time when <i>I</i> had to beg you to eat something just so <i>you</i> wouldn’t drop dead,” Dani tilted her head, regarding her husband with a grin as after five years he was finally sharing lunch with her instead of watching her eat. One and a half slices of pizza wasn’t a lot by most people’s standards but for <i>her</i> husband it was marked progress.</p><p>“Well, I remember you being very persuasive back then.” Malcolm smirked, stealing a bit of dark chocolate mousse cake off her plate. </p><p><i>Of course he did.</i> When she’d moved in with him a few weeks after their engagement, her husband had been so stubborn about eating she’d been forced to resort to sitting on his lap and literally feeding him–sometimes in lingerie–though she wasn’t particularly proud of that.</p><p>Moreover, Malcolm’s appetite wasn’t the only thing that had changed since then as she looked at him. Her husband in his long sleeved black shirt and slim black jeans, his black peacoat draped over the back of his chair and his chestnut hair slicked back–he looked as pristine and perfect as he did when they first met but it was his eyes that struck her.</p><p>They still reminded her of diamonds in their color–brilliant and beautiful but they were no longer hard and cold. They hadn’t been for a long time.</p><p>“What?” Malcolm asked curiously, wondering why she’d suddenly gone pensive. </p><p>“Nothing,” Dani murmured, brushing her fingers over his platinum wedding band and the thin diamond eternity band with the small emerald housed in the center, stacked on top of it that she’d surprised him with over the summer at their vow renewal ceremony in Bali as she squeezed his fingers gently. His second ring matched the vintage diamond and emerald ring on her finger that he’d proposed with a second time almost two years ago. “Oh…babe, don’t forget to mail off the Christmas cards tomorrow when you go into work.”</p><p>Christmas cards weren’t really a massive deal in her book but Dani knew her mother-in-law was expecting one with her cherubs as she did every year. </p><p>This year, Dani had managed to get a picture of the three of them all bundled up for the first snow of the year, six dimples and three wide smiles near the Christmas decorations on the front porch. It was insanely cute and she was sure Lovey would be delighted.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I got it.” Malcolm said smoothly, smiling deviously to himself, knowing that the Christmas card his mother was expecting wouldn’t be the one she’d get.</p><p>––––––––––––––––––––––</p><p>
  <b>4 Days Before Christmas</b>
</p><p>Leafing through the mail that one of her assistants had brought in, Jessica smiled as her Christmas cheer grew exponentially at seeing the thick white envelope with the Tarrytown address as Bing Crosby dreamt of a white Christmas from her stereo. This had to be the Christmas card with her cherubs.</p><p>Jessica had all four of the previous ones in an album. It was well documented that she and her son and his wife had not always gotten along and there were hard feelings that lingered well into their first year of marriage, but nothing made her happier than seeing those four cards and how Malcolm and Danika’s family had grown with each one.</p><p>Carefully tearing the envelope with her heavy silver mail opener, Jessica’s smile turned to horror–an unintelligible, <i>“EEK!”</i> escaped her mouth as the card fell from her hands.</p><p>Ainsley frowned as a card of some sort hit the toe of her Gucci riding boot. She’d decided to drop by the manor for breakfast as this would be the last time she saw her mom before the new year.</p><p>She laughed as she squatted down, seeing what had clearly disturbed the ever stoic Jessica Whitly, “He is so demented.”</p><p>The Christmas card printed on heavy white parchment paper with <i>Wishing you a joyous Christmas, from our family to yours</i>, in elegant gold calligraphy below a picture of Malcolm’s Rugrats cosplaying dead victims in what looked like Gil’s den.</p><p>“Your brother fancies himself a practical joker…we’ll see who has the last laugh,” Her mother threatened lowly, crossing her arms. Her many gold bangles jangling loudly. Ainsley snorted as she had no idea what their mother would do to even the score but Malcolm was <i>so</i> in for it. “Malcolm’s typical delinquency aside, what are your plans for Christmas? You will be dropping by, correct?”</p><p>Jessica took the awful Christmas card out of Ainsley’s hands. She supposed she’d keep it though it would give her nightmares.</p><p>“Actually a few of my KKG sisters from Cornell called me up and we’re gonna spend Christmas in Miami, I’m leaving tomorrow.” Jessica frowned as her daughter was speaking in code before she remembered Ainsley had pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma her freshman year. She really shouldn’t have forgotten as she’d been made to attend parents weekend, flying to Ithaca four separate times.</p><p>Jessica raised one professionally arched eyebrow at the idea that her daughter would spend a <i>family</i> holiday partying. “When do you believe you’ll settle down? You know…invite some stability in your life.”</p><p>Ainsley rolled her eyes as she knew where this was going, “Don’t say it–"</p><p>“Look at your brother,” Jessica reasoned as they took seats in the dining room. “He held up his part of the bargain and he’s going to have such a wonderful Christmas with his <i>family.</i>”</p><p>“I’m not Mal. Rugrats and a white gated fence before I turn 35 is not on my to-do list.” Ainsley poured syrup onto a plate of Belgian waffles, trying to maintain her patience as this conversation was starting to happen with greater frequency since she turned 30.</p><p>“The love of a child is a beautiful thing…look at how much it’s done for Malcolm. He’s a different person now.” Jessica took a dainty sip of orange juice.</p><p>Ainsley rolled her eyes again, “While I don’t doubt the Rugrats have helped…he’s getting laid <i>a lot</i>. That’s the reason he’s not the loon he used to be.”</p><p>Jessica’s lips flattened into a tight line, “No need to be vulgar at the table, dear.”</p><p>“Come on, you really think Malcolm and Dani planned to have three kids so close together?” Ainsley said, helping herself to strawberries and créme fraiche. “It’s a minor miracle Zahra wasn’t the flower girl in their wedding.”</p><p>“Be that as it may,” Jessica huffed, conceding the point. “Will you consider having dinner with this nice attorney I know? I believe he’s related to the Cuomo family. Think about it, you could be First Lady when he wins the Governorship one day. How <i>exciting</i> would that be?”</p><p>No one running for public office would <i>ever</i> marry someone with the last name of Whitly and Ainsley’s brows furrowed in suspicion, “Have you started day drinking again?”</p><p>Jessica ignored that as she buttered a croissant, <i>“Think about it–"</i></p><p>“Hard pass, I don’t trust your judgment with doctors <i>or</i> lawyers.” Ainsley reminded her mom pointedly. She couldn’t believe this was even a conversation let alone how downright <i>pushy</i> her mother was being. She suddenly had all the sympathy in the world for her brother who dealt with this regularly way back when.</p><p>“What about that handsome journalist at your station? I know his mother and I hear he just broke up with his–" </p><p>“Are you listening to yourself right now?” Ainsley asked in exasperation.</p><p>“What? It worked for your brother…” Perhaps she hadn’t been as on board with it as she should’ve been but Malcolm worked side by side with his wife. Perhaps if Ainsley would find it within herself to be reasonable, she too could have such good fortune. “Wouldn’t a Christmas miracle of your own next year be just lovely?”</p><p>“I remember a time when you were worried about my brother,” Ainsley countered, pretending she didn’t hear that last part, sipping her espresso.</p><p>Jessica waved a manicured hand dismissively, her bangles jangling once more, “Malcolm is fine and Danika keeps him in line. Who will keep <i>you</i> in line?” Ainsley leaned back in her chair as her mom’s brows arched. This was the time when her mom abandoned all pretense of “asking” and started making demands. “Besides you won’t be young forever, dear. You’re already getting up there…”</p><p>“I’m 31!” </p><p>“Malcolm already had a child at 31,” Jessica insisted as her son did nothing she asked him to do but he’d made her a grandmother while she was still young and for that she owed him a debt of gratitude. Now, if only her daughter would do the same.</p><p>“Malcolm got all the perks and did none of the work. <i>Dani’s</i> the one who spent over two years of her life pregnant.” Which was something Ainsley did <i>not</i> want to do. Her sister-in-law made pregnancy and motherhood look easy especially as Dani mothered the thirty-something she married long before she married him, despite Ainsley knowing that none of that was at all easy. “I’m not trading my Gucci bag for a diaper bag.”</p><p>“Danika has a <i>Gucci</i> diaper bag,” her mother informed her smugly.</p><p>“Okay, on that note. I will see you in the new year,” Ainsley got up from the table, practically running away from this conversation.</p><p>“But you’ll give one of them a call, right?” Jessica called to her daughter’s quickly retreating back.</p><p>“<i>Bye mom!</i>”</p><p>–––––––––––––––––––––</p><p>“I made fun of you for this but now I get it.” </p><p>Malcolm put Ainsley on FaceTime as she was likely calling him to vent about their mother. He balanced his phone on the shelf while he set Mali on her changing table, cleaning her up for the morning. “You made fun of me for a lot of things. What is it this time?” </p><p>“Mom’s not happy I’m going to Miami with my sorority sisters this Christmas and now she’s trying to set me up with someone!” His sister’s voice grew more shrill and incredulous with each word and Mali’s big dark eyes widened curiously, looking around to find where the sound was coming from while Malcolm wiped her little face and hands with Honest wipes before tossing last night’s pajamas into the hamper.</p><p>Malcolm laughed, “Oh my. Well, on your first date come armed with a background check and inquire about his sleeping habits…you can’t be too cautious, trust me.”</p><p>“I love how you think this is funny. She’s going full Momster…<i>she’s trying to run my life!</i>” Ainsley exclaimed, her brother not at all comprehending the severity of this. He kept ducking in and out of the frame as he laughed harder, adding insult to injury. “What are you even doing?”</p><p>“Dani went to Whole Foods for Christmas dinner stuff and Ace tagged along. I’m home alone with the girls, getting Mali cleaned up while Zahra’s downstairs watching <i>The Nightmare Before Christmas.</i>” Malcolm helped Mali sit up and into a pair of candy cane striped Christmas pajamas. “Who knows, Ains? Maybe your date won’t be psychotic…”</p><p>“Maybe I’d believe you if you weren’t still giggling.” Ainsley huffed like their mother, her hazel eyes narrowing.</p><p>Her brother opened his mouth to respond before little hands and red and white striped arms covered his face and her insanely adorable one year old niece appeared in the frame, her syrupy sweet baby giggles inundating the line. </p><p>Ainsley found herself softening like marshmallows in a peppermint mocha from her favorite coffee shop near her apartment in Soho as she watched Malcolm gently extricate himself from Mali’s boa constrictor like grip, kissing her little fingers. </p><p>His youngest Rugrat was his wife’s double as they literally had the same face, eyes and olive complexion. The only bit of her brother was in Mali’s bone straight shoulder length hair, the exact same Chestnut color and texture as his own currently in a messy morning ponytail, her little upturned ‘Milton nose’ and pointed chin, “You know what? I have to go. I will not be getting baby fever today.”</p><p>“To be fair, my kids are the cutest. Isn’t that right, my queen?” Malcolm cooed to Mali, pressing kisses to her little cheek as she squealed happily.</p><p>“Cute!” The baby agreed before collapsing into giggles again as Malcolm wrapped his arms around her and her little fingers tangled in his hair–the hair they shared.</p><p>They were, Ainsley had to agree and her brother in dad mode was their mom’s best sell, “You and Mom are the worst.”</p><p>––––––––––––––––––––</p><p>
  <b>2 Days Before Christmas</b>
</p><p>Malcolm went to the door, putting down notes from an open case from hearing the doorbell ring leaving his first floor study. It was strange as they had no deliveries scheduled that he knew of.</p><p>They’d finished their Christmas shopping finally and their multitude of gifts would be placed under their seventeen foot flocked tree in the living room.  </p><p>Malcolm opened the door expecting a UPS delivery, his eyes widening when he found <i>his mother</i> on the other side, “Mother, what are you doing here?” </p><p>Jessica took off her oversized Chanel sunglasses before regarding him with a smile that made his blood run cold, “Since you have so much space–almost 19 thousand square feet–I believe, I thought we’d have Christmas dinner here instead.” </p><p>“Um…<i>what?</i>” Malcolm’s brows nearly disappeared into his hairline.</p><p>“You thought that dreadful Christmas card was clever, didn’t you? No good deed goes unpunished, sweetheart.” Jessica patted his cheek condescendingly with a black leather gloved hand before pushing her brown suede Birkin into her son’s arms, brushing by him.</p><p>Lovey: 1 Malcolm: 0 </p><p>“My bags are in the car,” his mother said over her shoulder as Malcolm gritted his teeth, his jaw flexing though he only had himself to blame for this current predicament his wife was unaware of.</p><p>“Ms. Jessica…hi,” Dani said with no small amount of confusion, coming into the living room with Mali in her arms after getting their youngest up from her nap. “What are you doing here…?”</p><p>“Ask your husband–my son–and he will tell you all about it,” Jessica took Mali out of her daughter-in-law’s arms, making kissy faces at the baby while Dani glared at said husband who appeared in the doorway with <i>two</i> Louis Vuitton duffle bags. </p><p>“Lovey!” Mali broke into a dimpled smile, the always cheerful little girl grabbed at her grandmother’s pearls.</p><p>“My sweet! You get more beautiful each time I see you,” Jessica cooed at her littlest cherub, pleased to see her in the organic cotton footie pajamas with the little Christmas trees she’d gotten her.</p><p>Zahra and Asa curiously wandered out of their first floor playroom, hearing all the commotion before running to their grandmother. Jessica squatted down, smothering her two oldest cherubs in Chanel No. 5 scented hugs and red lipstick kisses. </p><p>“Are you gonna spend Christmas with us?” Zahra asked, bouncing on her toes in the sweet pink bunny slippers she’d gotten her, a nod to a A Christmas Story which her son and daughter-in-law watched religiously every year.</p><p>Jessica cupped her oldest granddaughter’s cheeks, her wonder never ceased, seeing so many of her son’s features and his big blue eyes in the little girl’s gorgeous face. “I absolutely am!”</p><p>If looks could kill Malcolm would be dead on the floor by the look on his wife’s face at the moment, “I’ll take your things to the guesthouse, Mother,” he sighed.</p><p>“I’m being exiled?” Jessica gasped in shock and quite frankly, offense.</p><p>“It’s okay, Lovey…Zahra’s playhouse is outside too,” Asa informed her matter-of-factly. Jessica gently brushed her sweet grandson’s wavy hair off his forehead, smiling down at him. It was his no-good father she had a problem with.</p><p>Malcolm smirked irritatingly, “This isn’t The Waldorf, Mother. If you don’t like your accommodations, you’re more than welcome to go home.”</p><p>“Fine,” Jessica allowed with a withering smile for her son before turning to her grandchildren, holding up the shopping bag in her hand, hitching Maliha onto her hip and marching off into the kitchen. “Come along my dears, this gingerbread house won’t build itself.” </p><p>Dani put her hands on her hips, sucking in her cheeks in annoyance after watching Zahra and Asa excitedly follow their fearless leader, Lovey, into <i>her</i> kitchen. Malcolm remembered vaguely his wife looking at him this way that night she’d babysat him when club drugs exploded in his face. “Bright, what the hell is going on?”</p><p>Malcolm treaded carefully taking note that his wife didn’t call him "babe" her usual name for him or his absolute favorite "honey bun" instead using his surname which he felt a little insulted by, though he knew it would be unwise to mention it.</p><p>“Okay…well…remember when you reminded me to mail the Christmas cards off?” Dani nodded though her suspicion was growing by the moment. “I…um…might’ve gotten my mother a card made with this picture instead…” Malcolm reached into the pocket of his charcoal joggers for his phone, showing Dani the infamous chalk drawing photo.</p><p>He watched his wife’s pretty face oscillate between disbelief and outrage and then back again. He was in so much trouble. “Bright, if you think you’re gonna be ringing in the New Year with business…you are <i>so</i> out of your mind. It’s gonna be a party of <i>one</i> that night.”</p><p>Malcolm’s eyes widened in horror as his wife turned on her heel watching her ridiculously attractive figure clad in ribbed black Skims leggings, tank and fuzzy black robe disappear into the kitchen, “Dani, no! Come on…darling…please…”</p><p>Dani ignored him and Malcolm <i>knew</i> he had to fix this. </p><p>––––––––––––––––––––</p><p>Malcolm watched his wife pacing in front of the TV in a pair of his old pajamas after getting out of the shower from his side of their California King. </p><p>She was agitated and he unfortunately knew why, “It really won’t be as bad as you think. We’re pretty much just providing the venue. My mother will take over and do everything the way she always does.”</p><p>Dani shook her head as that was the problem. Jessica Whitly would take over Christmas Day like she took over their wedding, all three of her baby showers, all nine birthday parties their children ever had. She wanted one day–one occasion–that wasn’t a struggle or a fuss–especially one that meant so much to her. “You really don’t get it, do you?”</p><p>Malcolm got up on his knees, wrapping his arms around her hips where from where she stood in front of him, “Then make me get it.”</p><p>Dani narrowed her eyes at her husband so clearly giving her those big blue puppy eyes, “You don’t get to pout at me right now. I’m mad at you.”</p><p>“Darling, please. I hate it when you’re upset.” Malcolm’s fingers hooked inside the waistband of his pajama pants she had to fold over to keep up on her slim frame, pulling her closer, looking up at her through his lashes and finessing her completely. “Please tell me what I’m not getting.”</p><p>Dani sighed, letting her husband pull her into his arms and into bed. She buried her face in his neck inhaling the slight amaretto scent of the Dr. Bronner’s they kept in the shower. “It’s just…this is my favorite time of year because it’s the one day where it’s just us together and as happy as that is, I always think of that one Christmas I had no idea if I’d ever see you again.”</p><p>Malcolm pulled back slightly, his brows knitting in confusion, “Wait…you mean–"</p><p>“Yeah…you were kidnapped on Christmas Eve the year we met and hours turned into what felt like days and I didn’t know what it all meant at the time except that I knew I…I…was falling in love with you…” Malcolm watched his wife’s dark brown eyes cloud over with tears after making a confession after five years of marriage that he truly hadn’t known. She took a deep breath. “At Christmas, I just want to hold close what is because every year I’m reminded of what almost wasn’t.”</p><p>“You never told me that before and incidentally enough…that day was when I realized I was falling in love with you too.” Malcolm cradled his wife’s face, his thumb tracing the high arc of her cheekbone, feeling a belated confession of his own coming on as he’d never shared this with her either. “It was on the back of what had been the first gut wrenching experience of that time. I was trying hard to be normal and I’d always been so good at pretending but I couldn’t–not completely. The real me and all of my dysfunction and messiness–those things that made me hate myself–came rushing to the forefront and you found me panicking on the floor surrounded by case files.” </p><p>He laughed a bit as he brushed his hands over Dani’s curls, realizing that he must’ve truly healed if he could look back at something so painful with a certain amount of fondness, “I’d gone through life thinking I was just this damaged, broken <i>thing</i> and replaying the night before over and over, I knew I would always be but your exact words to me were, ’I don’t think that’s true.’ Do you remember that?”</p><p>“I do,” Dani murmured as he gently wiped a stray tear from her face.</p><p>“I didn’t know what do with it at the time. My beautiful, compassionate, warm-hearted <i>friend</i> saw something in me that I didn’t and feelings I hid from myself demanded to be felt and I didn’t want that because if I let myself go there…I’d fall in so deep and there would be no way out.” Malcolm smiled softly, pressing the lightest butterfly kiss to her full lips before pulling back slightly. “And I was right.”</p><p>He kissed his wife again, this time slowly as Dani allowed him access. His fingers wound in her curls, tipping her head back, his tongue gliding over hers and his breath in her lungs. She pulled back just as he leaned into her, “Go talk to your mother.”</p><p>Malcolm groaned, “That’s not what I was hoping you’d say.”</p><p>Dani giggled at her husband’s obvious disappointment, “I’ll be here when you get back.” </p><p>She watched as Malcolm’s frost blue eyes sparked in excitement before scrambling over her, sliding on his slippers and literally dashing out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. </p><p>Dani collapsed back into the mound of pillows. The sort of silly and girlish first love type smile that only her husband had ever brought out of her, spread across her face. </p><p>The more things change, the more they were very much the same.</p><p>–––––––––––––––</p><p>For as much as his mother complained, she certainly appeared to have made herself comfortable in the guesthouse that Dani claimed was bigger than her old apartment. </p><p>Malcolm found his mother on the couch in the living room area in her silk dressing gown with the fireplace on, sipping what Malcolm knew was spiked eggnog while tapping on her iPad. </p><p>“Mother, we need to talk.” Malcolm sat down on the overstuffed chair across from her.</p><p>“We certainly do,” Jessica didn’t look up as she continued constructing the menu for Christmas dinner. “Usually we’d have five courses but since it is Christmas after all, I thought seven would be more appropriate. Also since Danika is the lady of the house, let her know my kitchen staff will be arriving at 7:30 tomorrow.”</p><p>“We’re not doing any of that.”</p><p>Jessica looked up slowly, arching an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon.”</p><p>“Mother.” Malcolm smiled patiently. “You are more than welcome to spend Christmas with us but you will spend it on <i>our</i> terms. Dani and I will cook Christmas dinner the way we always do, so you can tell your staff they have the day off.”</p><p> Jessica frowned not only unused to being told what to do but also at the idea of giving up control of the menu. She did <i>not</i> trust her son or her daughter in law to do this properly. Furthermore, Danika was a big proponent of “wellness,” who knew what strange thing would end up on her plate. “But–"</p><p>“No,” Malcolm cut her off before continuing, “We’re also not dressing up in formal wear to go to the dining room.”</p><p>“Wait, one instant! We’ve always dressed up for Christmas dinner, since you were a child,” Jessica protested as she might go along with whatever oddity he and Danika would serve for dinner but this was a bridge too far. What about tradition and <i>propriety?</i></p><p>“We always posed for portraits on Christmas too but we’re not doing that either,” Malcolm retorted, wishing they could wrap this up already as any longer Dani would be asleep by the time he made it back to the bedroom which would <i>not</i> be fun for him.</p><p>“Well, what am I supposed to wear–"</p><p>“I’m glad you asked.” Her son handed her a shopping bag with a smile that made him appear far more angelic than he actually was.</p><p>Jessica frowned before her brows raised incredulously, reaching into the bag and pulling out…<i>Christmas pajamas.</i> </p><p>Red and white ones with little white Christmas trees and reindeer. Her son would have her to spend Christmas dressed like wrapping paper. “You expect me to sit at the dinner table wearing <i>this?”</i></p><p>“We always wear matching pajamas on Christmas,” Malcolm said by way of explanation. He took a little more pleasure in his mother’s dismay than he should’ve but his house, his rules.</p><p>“I won’t forget this, Malcolm Douglas.” Jessica said through pursed lips, putting the ridiculous pajamas back in the bag and folding her arms.</p><p>Malcolm shrugged, smirking as he got up and making his way towards the door, “If you don’t like it…you can always go home but I know you won’t. Sleep tight, Mother.”</p><p>–––––––––––––––––––</p><p>
  <b>Christmas Eve</b>
</p><p>“I thought we weren’t doing a turkey this year?” Dani frowned as her husband placed an 18 pound turkey on the black and white marble countertop among all of the other fresh ingredients spread about the island for Christmas dinner: sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, kale, squash and burrata.</p><p>This was their little tradition that started their first Christmas as a family when she’d been four months pregnant with Zahra. Malcolm didn’t eat and she didn’t much cook but they’d made the effort to do things differently, cooking Christmas dinner together. Donny Hathaway’s <i>This Christmas</i> playing in the background from the stereo much like it was now.</p><p>“It’s the holidays, of course we need a turkey,” Malcolm murmured distractedly as he stared at a box of organic vegetable stock as though it was about to personally tell him its use. </p><p>“You don’t know how to brine a turkey, do you?’ Dani smirked as her husband wore his thinking face, the one she saw every day at work as that Big Brain of his tried to stitch together some of the most twisted cases in a way that only <i>he</i> could.</p><p>“No…but how hard could it be?” Malcolm replied as he took a large ceramic stock pot from one of their ebony cabinets while she whisked marinade for her balsamic and pomegranate roast chicken.</p><p>“Well, to start, you should’ve started brining about 18 hours ago…” Dani shook her head as Malcolm looked at her blankly. “And we are not putting that in the oven at 4 am.”</p><p>She watched the gears turn in Malcolm’s head before a slow, triumphant smile spread over his too handsome face, “We won’t have to…this will be the expedited version.”</p><p>“You can’t MacGyver <i>everything</i>,” Dani reminded him as she salted and peppered the inside of the chicken before stuffing the cavity with garlic.</p><p>“Watch me,” Malcolm smirked as he dumped the entire box of vegetable stock in the pot. “If I ratio the recipe just right, I’ll get it done in half the time and it’ll be amazing.”</p><p>“See this is your problem…instant gratification,” Dani rolled her eyes from over her shoulder as she washed her hands at the sink after letting the chicken marinate.</p><p>“<i>My</i> gratification has never been instant–or should I say <i>your</i> gratification.” Malcolm smirked as his wife’s cheeks heated. She stared at him, flustered and speechless for at few seconds before she swatted him on the ass with a dishtowel.</p><p>“You are on the naughty list,” Dani said through laughter despite herself as Malcolm sidestepped her before wrapping his arms around her waist, his chin in the crook of her neck.</p><p>“Am I really naughty?” he questioned with a dimpled grin, his ice clear eyes sparkling with mischief–a look that answered his own question.</p><p>“Yes but even the naughty deserve something nice,” Dani giggled as her husband’s eyes lit up, the Big Brain at work once more. “Babe, we are <i>cooking</i> right now.”</p><p>Malcolm hummed lowly, burying his face in her neck, his stubble lightly scraping against her, “We could make something else…”</p><p>Dani snorted, “Um…you wish. My parts are out of commission permanently.”</p><p>Malcolm regretted his little joke as soon as it passed his lips. He remembered that day Mali was prematurely put into his arms as Dani was taken away to recover after multiple transfusions shortly after her birth. She’d lost consciousness shortly after delivering their youngest and the elective hysterectomy that followed. For hours, he had no idea if he’d ever see his wife again. If he’d be leaving the hospital without his entire heart.</p><p>It had been the single worst day of his life.</p><p>Dani wasn’t upset or anything close to it but he still shouldn’t have been so thoughtless. “Okay,” he kissed her cheek. “I love you.”</p><p>“I love you too,” he heard the smile in her voice as she reached in the cabinet for a roasting pan.</p><p>––––––––––––––––––––</p><p>Jessica absently ran her fingers through Zahra’s soft chestnut toned curls as they were currently spread across her lap. Her oldest granddaughter fully engrossed in <i>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</i> from the incredibly large television mounted above the fireplace.</p><p>She frowned at the peculiar green fellow finding him woefully melodramatic but Zahra loved him dearly as her Grinch plush toy sat beside them on the center white leather couch in her son and daughter-in-law’s living room.</p><p>She smiled down at Zahra, before looking up and seeing Asa on his play mat stacking blocks and Maliha on hers, her attention fixated on light up toys. </p><p>None of her children had been particularly affectionate but all of her grandchildren were. Jessica supposed she had a role in that. Her son was as emotionally reserved as anyone but on more than one occasion, she’d seen him draped over his wife like an oversized puppy. </p><p>The way he was now as she spotted the two of them in the kitchen. She watched Malcolm grab Danika’s arm twirling her around to <i>Merry Christmas Baby</i> just after she placed what looked to be a chicken into the oven. </p><p>Danika’s hands cupped his face and Jessica noted that she’d only ever seen her son smile like that around the beautiful detective. It was a smile that radiated from within and it was still a bit of a shock to see Malcolm genuinely <i>happy</i>. Jessica shouldn’t have but she’d gotten used to those polite smiles that never reached his eyes.</p><p>Now, he looked so…lighthearted and she wished that perhaps she would’ve <i>asked</i> him what he wanted instead of trying to <i>tell</i> him. The truth burned within her chest but it would’ve been her fault if he’d missed out on this. A life with a young lady who adored him and three wonderful, beautiful children.</p><p>Jessica wondered if he would’ve been happy sooner had she not intervened the way she had. Watching him press repeated kisses to his wife’s lips, making her laugh in a way she rarely saw from her oft serious daughter-in-law, she knew the answer to that.</p><p>––––––––––––––––––––</p><p>
  <b>Christmas Day</b>
</p><p>“Mommy! Daddy! It’s Christmas!” Zahra burst into their bedroom with a waddling Mali in tow–their girls both in green and white striped Grinch pajamas. Malcolm smiled as Zahra had figured out how to spring Asa from his crib when she was three and was now doing the same for her little sister.</p><p>“Really? Are you sure?” Malcolm furrowed his brows with mock-skepticism as Zahra rolled onto his chest. He gently brushed his hands over her wild curls. Five years later it was still a trip to see his own eyes staring back at him through a face that looked a great deal like his own.</p><p>“Yes! Yesterday was Christmas Eve and today is Christmas, Daddy!” Zahra’s silver bell laughter rang out as he wrapped his arms around her, enfolding her into what was known as Daddy’s bear hug.</p><p>“Christmas!” Mali cheered, sitting on Dani’s stomach before falling forward, wrapping her tiny arms around her Mommy’s neck and smushing their cheeks together. Dani smiled as she wrapped her arms arms around her littlest one, kissing her cheek and cuddling her closer. Two of the three best gifts she’d ever gotten already here with her.</p><p>“I don’t know, darling…does that check out to you?” He asked with a smile, turning to Dani.</p><p>“It does and I think we have some presents to open,” Dani said, grinning at her husband as Mali popped up at the sound of presents, her lopsided ponytail bobbing with her. Zahra nearly leaping out of bed, pulling her father up with her.</p><p>“Come on, Daddy! Presents!” Zahra bounced on her toes, nearly vibrating with an enthusiasm he’d never had as a child not even on Christmas.</p><p>“Okay, sweetheart, I’m right behind you.” Malcolm chuckled, letting their five year old pull him out of the bedroom. </p><p>Dani pulled on her fluffy pink butterfly covered robe–a previous Mother’s Day gift from Zahra–before Mali practically jumped into her arms as they followed the family troublemakers, “I’ll go change Mama and wake Ace up.”</p><p>“Ace went wake Lovey up,” Zahra called, leading Malcolm by the hand toward their glass staircase. He snorted, wishing he could’ve been in the guesthouse to witness that himself.</p><p>–––––––––––––––––––</p><p>“Wake up, Lovey! It’s Christmas!” </p><p>Jessica startled awake at the sound of whispering.“What? Who’s there?” she mumbled sleepily, trying to gather her bearings. She pulled up her silk sleep mask only to find her toddler grandson kneeling in her lap, his big greige eyes inches from her face, tapping her shoulder softly.</p><p>“Asa...my dear...what time is it?” She’d been sleeping rather deeply as luckily the mattress in the guesthouse bedroom was surprisingly up to her standards and she rather liked the privacy. She’d made a note of it to bring over more of her things as this would always be her dwellings when she graced her son and his family with her presence.</p><p>“I dunno…but it’s Christmas, Lovey!” Asa exclaimed, his dimpled smile and deep golden brown hair falling over his forehead making him look even more like Malcolm. She’d honestly never seen her grandson so outwardly excited before. He was a quiet child–a little adult–just as his father had been.</p><p>“Yes, well, I suppose it is…” Jessica sat up before reaching over for the chocolate brown colored throw blanket on the armchair, beside the bed, wrapping it around her tiny grandson tightly as he’d trekked all the way out here without a coat only in his adorable red plaid pajamas–something else his father would’ve done.</p><p>–––––––––––––––––</p><p>“You know, it is Christmas Day, meaning we have the <i>entire</i> day. We don’t have to get started at 6 am.” Malcolm heard his mother grumbling as she arrived into the living room in her dressing gown with Asa on her hip, wrapped up in a blanket. </p><p>Malcolm smiled a bit to himself at the care his mother had obviously shown his son. She was a lot of things but she was a good grandmother. </p><p>“You’ve never seen the kids in the morning, they slept in today,” he replied as he queued up the appropriate music from his phone, Mariah Carey’s iconic Christmas song blaring through the speakers. </p><p>“You mean, you do this <i>every day?</i>” Jessica’s brows raised as she set Asa on his feet. She tried to wade through the gifts that nearly covered every square inch of the living room floor from underneath the massive flocked tree decorated with blood red ornaments–it was morose though she wouldn’t comment on it.</p><p>“Every day since Zahra was born.” Malcolm confirmed as he bent down, lifting Mali into his arms who’d been pulling at his pajama pants leg.</p><p>At that knowledge, Jessica suddenly had new appreciation for Danika as a mother. Three small children up with her son’s energy up at the crack of dawn every day sounded...unpleasant. Not counting the fact that her son had a penchant for acting like a small child. </p><p>Clearly, her daughter-in-law had the patience of a saint. </p><p>Jessica watched said daughter-in-law with Asa on her lap, helping him unwrap a what looked to be an elaborate train set. Danika smiled softly as she kissed the top of his head. Jessica grew heartened, imaging her son and grandson constructing the train set together. She reached for her phone wanting to get a photo of the sweet moment.</p><p>All of the family photo albums and home videos of her children when they were young were stained with the bitter reminders of her ex-husband’s cruelty and depraved indifference for human life including that of her son.</p><p>The album she had started building of her grandchildren would stand as a record of happy moments the Whitly’s had been denied for so long. Furthermore, she needed Christmas pictures for this year as that terrible Christmas card would never see the light of day.</p><p>Dani wrapped an arm around her five year old after seeing that Asa had gotten the hang of opening presents on his own. Her son beyond thrilled at the Lego Coding Express set Daddy had gotten him–one of about four Lego coding sets Dani knew was under the tree. Asa’s face a mirror image of Malcolm’s when he realized such a thing existed and he could already start teaching their three year old how to code–one of his insomnia hobbies.</p><p>“What did Lovey get you, baby?” Dani asked as Zahra opened reached into an elaborate gift bag–the first of what she noticed were many from their grandmother– pulling out two Disney Animators Collection dolls. </p><p>“Tiana and Belle,” Zahra replied happily as those were her favorites. Zahra knew <i>The Princess and The Frog</i> and <i>Beauty and the Beast</i> by heart, she’d watched them so many times. “Thanks Lovey!” </p><p>“You are most welcome, my little lady,” Jessica replied, snapping photos of her oldest granddaughter and her wide dimpled smile over her two new dolls. “But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Lovey has far more gifts for you.”</p><p>Jessica smiled as Zahra opened another of those gifts, squealing at the sight of an animatronic Baby Yoda, something she didn’t much understand but went along with anyway. Her eyes shifted to her son sitting on the floor with little Maliha in his lap, opening gifts for her. She snapped several photos of that as well.</p><p>“Look, baby, do you wanna open it?” Malcolm brought a gift bag closer to their youngest who instead of reaching inside the bag, she plucked the gift bow off the front of the bag, promptly sticking it in her mouth. He gently took it from her, placing the rather soggy bow aside. “No, we don’t eat that.”</p><p>“No?” Mali looked up at him with her mother’s big dark eyes. Her little brows furrowed, making her look even more like Dani.</p><p>“No.” Malcolm smiled, leaning down kissing their littlest one’s forehead just as a frozen teething ring striped like a candy cane appeared over his shoulder. The corners of Dani’s lips twitching up in a knowing smile before she went back to Zahra and Asa.</p><p>With Mali preoccupied with the teething ring, Malcolm reached into the bag, grinning while hearing his mother’s unhappy gasp. </p><p>“Elmo!” Mali wrapped her arms around the plush toy, hugging him to her little chest. He’d managed to find another KAWS Elmo for their youngest–the special edition Sesame Street doll with X’s over the eyes.</p><p>It had been Zahra’s favorite toy when she was younger and he knew it would drive his mother crazy as she’d railed against that “vile, troublesome toy” but somehow he knew Mali would love it.</p><p>“<i>Malcolm!</i>” Jessica huffed as she couldn’t believe her son would do this–actually she could as it was entirely on brand. Maliha looked like Danika but Malcolm was determined to pass along his own morbid fascinations. “It’s just not right for a little girl to love a dead puppet!”</p><p>Mali stood in his lap, hugging his neck with KAWS Elmo smushed between them. Malcolm smirked at his mother, “I disagree.”</p><p>–––––––––––––––––––––-</p><p>The kids had gotten through most of their gifts, Zahra and Asa still busily going at it with Mali content to tear wrapping paper, watching the pieces cascade over her head while giggling.</p><p>Dani reached under the tree for a small wrapped box, giving it to her husband, “This is from me but don’t open it just yet.”</p><p>Malcolm titled his head accepting the gift, their fingertips brushing together. He noted Dani’s Mona Lisa smile and the warm eagerness in her dark eyes, “What did you do?”</p><p>“You’ll see…” Dani answered slyly. “Mommy bought Daddy a <i>special</i> gift, wanna go give it to him?” she called as the kids all excitedly popped up and even his mother looked curious though electing to stay in the house as it was improper to be seen in her dressing gown outside.</p><p>Before he could ask what was going on, Dani ushered him outside and toward the driveway. His brows raised finding a dark gray Rolls Royce Wraith parked outside with a massive red bow on the hood.</p><p>“Let me guess, this is a key?” Malcolm asked his wife–who was currently beaming at him–about the small package in his hand. </p><p>“As I said before, even the naughty deserve something nice.” Dani kissed him softly, smiling at her husband’s slightly bewildered expression. “Merry Christmas, honey bun.”</p><p>“Thanks…how did you get this here without me knowing?” He asked her curiously as she and their kids led him towards the beautiful coupe. </p><p>“You’re not the only one who can be sneaky,” Dani smirked as Malcolm unlocked the car. It actually hadn’t been easy as she’d asked Gil to cover for her, calling her in to “work” late one morning while she spent nearly all day at the dealership, storing the car in the garage–grateful that Malcolm hardly went in there.</p><p>“Color me impressed and a little afraid,” Malcolm replied as Dani always found him out when he was trying to be stealth but it clearly didn’t go both ways.</p><p>“This is actually the reason I bought it,” She turned on the ignition, watching the headliner light up like stars in the night sky and her husband’s pale eyes do the same. She knew this would be something he’d love. </p><p>“Ooh so pretty,” Zahra looked up in astonishment from her place next to her brother on Dani’s lap in the backseat–both of them impressed by Daddy’s new toy. Mali from Malcolm’s lap looked up, her dark eyes wide in wonder. Her little hand trying to grab at the “stars.”</p><p>This past year had been challenging and her husband had stepped up in ways she couldn’t begin to thank him for, following their sweetest little surprise, Mali, and all the trouble Dani had recovering. He’d been her partner in every sense and she wanted to do something special for him.</p><p>“You know, you’re not allowed to scold me anymore for buying you something expensive,” Malcolm smiled as she’d done just that twenty minutes ago about the collector’s edition black calfskin Birkin with matte black hardware he’d gotten her. One of only three in North America.</p><p>Dani had told him never to buy her a handbag that cost more than a year’s rent at her old apartment in Riverdale but his mind, his wife deserved the world over and in whatever small way he could, he’d give her just that.</p><p>"Only for today, we’ll call it even.” Dani leaned over the black leather console, kissing him once more.</p><p>–––––––––––––––––––</p><p>Malcolm looked around at sight before him as <i>A Christmas Story</i> played in the background. Gil had joined them for dinner after having to go into the precinct. Grandpa sitting on the floor with Zahra and Asa helping them build a Lego Batcave.</p><p>Dinner had gone surprisingly smooth, his mother didn’t complain about the food despite how roasted sweet potato and kale salad, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted squash with burrata wouldn’t have been on her menu.</p><p>She even gamely wore her Christmas pajamas, delighting her grandchildren. Malcolm hadn’t been able to stop himself from rubbing it in a bit when she made her reappearance, “Wow, Lovey, you look adorable.” </p><p>His mother had given him a tight-lipped smile–a look that said if she found it ladylike to swear, she would’ve had a <i>few</i> things to say to him as she pulled her red silk robe tighter. </p><p>He found his Mother curled in their white armchair closest to the their floor-to-ceiling windows with Mali in her lap, reading her a new book about a family of kittens. The yellow gold Cartier Love bracelet they’d given her for Christmas–this one encrusted with each of her grandchildren’s birthstones and their names engraved on the inside–sparkling in the lamplight. A smile he never imagined he’d see on his mother’s face as she spent time with her smallest cherub.</p><p>“Uncle Pappy for your thoughts?” Dani’s voice broke into those thoughts as he looked up, his wife holding out a glass of his special occasion Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. The one she claimed was too expensive to actually drink.</p><p>He smiled accepting the glass from her as she slid into his lap with a glass of her own, “Not really thinking about much.”</p><p>Dani hummed as his free arm tightened around her, “Did Malcolm Bright get everything he wanted for Christmas?”</p><p>“He did. He has a beautiful wife, three incredible children and a pretty sweet Rolls Royce,” he grinned, feeling just as affected by the soft warmth in those dark eyes he loved so much as he did the first time he saw it.</p><p>“It was a good day,” Dani said quietly.</p><p>“It was. Merry Christmas, my love.” Malcolm clinked his glass against hers.</p><p>A toast to family and to love and to another year living the lives they’ve always wanted.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to @Florexandra for brainstorming this with me. I hope all of you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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